al-makhfar

Audio with Theyab's pronunciation

"shfiich?" he asks. I must have a face like a rainy Sunday.

"I've just been to the al-makhfar," is the glum reply.


"You're kidding, what happened?"


"I burned a red."


He waits.


"...yam shur6ii," I admit, defeated.


Now he starts laughing. "You didn't see him?"


"The guy was taqriiban two metres from where I was, in full uniform. He may as well have had disco lights on his head, but me being me, maa shift-ah. And he fined me on the spot."


"bi-cham?"


I twiddle my thumbs. "100 kd?"


"Ugh!"


"But now laazim aruu7 lii al-makhfar so that I can pay." 


He asks me if I have to go there today. 


"laa..."


"bas, 3ayal laa truu7iin."


"a'6in baruu7," I say, and explain that should I choose to pay today, I won't get fined another 100 kd baachir.

He can see that this episode has ruined my day.


"shlawn-ich?" he asks.


"zwaynah," I reply, with a shrug.


At this he starts laughing again. "ya7layl-ich!"

شفيچ؟	shfiich?	What’s wrong? (>f)
المخفر	al-makhfar	The police station
يم	yam	Next to
شرطي	shur6ii	A policeman
تقريبن	taqriiban	Approximately
ما شفته	maa shift-ah	I didn’t see him
جم	cham	How much?
لازم	laazim	It’s necessary
بروح	baruu7	I will go
لي	lii	To
لا	laa	No
بس عيل لا تروح	bas 3ayal laa truu7(iin)	So don’t go then (m/f)
اظن بروح	a'6in baruu7	I think I will go
باچر	baachir	Tomorrow
زوين	zwayn(ah)	Okayish (m/f)
يحليلچ	ya7layl-ich	How cute you are (>f)!